Color composition



Patented Feb. 19, 1935' UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE I 1,991,872 r coLoR COMPOSITION Foster-l )ee' Snell, Brooklyn, and new H; P. OConnor, New York, N. Y.; said OConnor assigno'r to said Snell No Drawing. Application November 12, 1930,

Serial N0. 495,177

7' Claims." ((-31; "134-1) value is concerned, isof the same appearance to method of marking coal has been developed for such an extent that the purchaser cannot distinguish between coalof superior quality and coal of a decidedly interior quality. In order to meet a requirement resulting from this condition, a

use by producers of coal of the better grades/involving applying directly to the coal a suitable color in a manner to give to the coal in bulk a distinctive appearance. If the color is not applied to each individual lump, it-should be applied to a suificient proportion to be clearly recognizable by the customer. If it is desired to insure against fraud by the mixture of coal of an inferior grade with that marked, it is, of course, desirable that the color should be so applied that practically every lump is marked.

The coloring composition to satisfy the requirements of use mustbe insoluble in cold water to resist the action of rain and snow and must withstand bleaching action of the sun and of the acid which forms as the result of oxidation of sulphur when the coal is exposed to the elements. It must not dust off or rub off during handling and shipment. The color must be suificiently brilliant to show readily when applied in small amounts to the coal. On the other hand, it should be relatively inexpensive, so that it will not unduly increase the cost of the coal to the consumer.

We have discovered that essentially these results may be secured by the use of gelatine, preferably in an inexpensive state as hide glue, which is soluble in hot water but insoluble in cold water, as a; carrying vehicle and a coloring material. The use of gelatine, water and a coloring material to form a coal color has certain objections, however, in that the solution does not keep well and on drying the glue or gelatine is brittle and may crack and spall off. We have found it desirable to add to these simple ingredients a plasticizing material in the form of a wax of which several varieties may be used, a protective colloid such as a heavy metal soap to prevent caking of the coloring material in the containers, and a preservative such as formaldehyde, although it is to be understood that these plasticizing and preserving ingredients may be omitted.

An illustrative composition produced in accordance with the present invention may contain as its principal ingredients Parts by weight Hide glue 100 Paraifin lto 16 Aluminum sulphate to 1 Metallic. soap 0 to 1 Formaldehyde 0 to 0.5

Coloring material 100 to 1 000 The hide glue is used as a convenient and inexpensive form of gelatine and in a proportion to act as a binderpreventing the dissolving of the color in cold water and as an adherent or adhesive preventing it from dusting off or being wiped oif the coal duringhandling. The paraffin, or other equivalent wax such as beeswax, Japan wax, or the like, acts as a plasticizer and also has a tendency to intensify the color and it gives a measure of gloss to the treated surface. The aluminum sulphate and metal soap improve the flowing and spreading qualities and the formaldehyde acts a a preservative.

The color composition may conveniently and v economically be produced and shipped in the form of a paste and diluted with water at the point of use. When it is to be produced and shipped in this form, the proportion of the several ingredients are preferably substantially as follows:

Hide glue 3 pounds Paraffin 9 ounces Aluminum sulphate /2 ounce Metal soap ounce Formaldehyde ounce Water 5 /2 pints The composition may be prepared effectively by first melting the paraflin, or other wax, in a small quantity of hot water, conveniently water at a temperature of about 190 F., and then adding the aluminum sulphate. These ingredients should be heated for fifteen or twenty minutes and then the soap added. The glue preferably is dissolved separately in a small quantity of water; for example, one part of water at a temperature of,140150 F. to one part of glue. The separately mixed glue solution and the remaining elements may be combined then and the mixture cooledto 90 to 100 F. after which the coloring matter, such, for example, as para-red, ultra-marine blue, Prussian blue, chrome yellow or chrome green, etc., which, it is to be noted, are substantially insoluble in water, may be added in the proportion, for example, of two pounds of coloring matter to one pound of the complete color binder prepared as above indicated. The formaldehyde may be added with the coloring matter or separately. The coloring matter should be well ground to insure efiective spreading. This grinding may be accomplished effectively, for example, in a ball mill after the coloring matter and the binder are combined.

The color paste prepared as indicated may be diluted in, for example, thirty times its weight of water for use on the coal to be marked and may be applied to the coal at any convenient point by spraying, dipping or the like.

The foregoing particular description of a selected embodiment is illustrative merely of the nature and scope of our invention and is not intended as defining the limits of the invention.

We claim:-

1. As a composition of matter, a color composition comprising, in combination, in approximately the proportions indicated- Parts by weight I-l'ide glue 225 l araffin 36 Aluminum sulphate 2 Soap 1 Formaldehyde 1 Coloring matter 1200 substantially as described.

2. As a composition of matter, a color composition comprising, in combination,-

Parts by weight Hide glue 100 Paraffin 1 to 16 Aluminum sulphate 0.5 to 1 Soap 0 to 1 Formaldehyde 0. 2 to 0. 5 Coloring matter 100 to 1000 substantially as described.

3. A coal coloring composition adapted to withstand weathering and the action of cold water comprising principally hide glue and water insoluble coloring matter in proportions approximating 225 parts by weight of hide glue and 1200 parts by weight of coloring matter and 36 parts by weight of plasticizing wax.

4. A coal coloring composition adapted to withstand weathering and the action of cold water comprising, in combination, 200 parts hide glue, approximately parts paraffin, approximately 2 parts aluminum sulphate, approximately 1 part formaldehyde and 200 to 2000 parts coloring matter, substantially as described.

5. A coal coloring composition adapted to withstand weathering and the action of cold water consisting principally of hide glue and water insoluble coloring matter in the proportion of 1:1 to 1:10, together with plasticizing wax of the order of 5% of the total.

6. A coal coloring composition adapted to withstand weathering and the action of cold water consisting principally of hide glue and water insoluble coloring matter in proportion of 1: 1 to 1:10 and plasticizing wax of the order of 5% of the total together with formaldehyde as a preservative.

7. A coal coloring composition adapted to withstand weathering and the action of cold water consisting principally of hide glue and water-insoluble coloring matter in the proportion of 1:1 to 1:10, together with plasticizing wax of the order of 5% of the total and aluminum sulfate of the order of of the total.

FOSTER DEE SNELL. ALFRED H. P. O'CONNOR. 

